Hinge.



P'ATEN'I'ED JULY 7, 1908.

B. B. BYRD.

HINGE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1907.

BRITTON E. BYRD, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.

HINGE.

Application filed August 10, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRITTON E. BYRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Durham, in the county of Durham and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Hinge, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hinge designed principally for application to window blinds ut not confined to that particular use.

The object of the invention is to provide a hinge which will lock a moving part, such as a window blind, in open position without being compelled to raise the blind as is common in lnnges used at the present time. The hinge may also be used foran upper or lower hinge on either the right or left hand side of a blind without change or alteration of the hinge members of any kind. The hinge is simple, cheap, and thoroughly reliable.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a window frame and window blind closed showing the upper and lower hinges applied to the left hand side of a window. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same parts with the window blind open and shown by dotted lines in an unlocked position and at a slight angle.

Similar reference numerals are used on the figures to designate like parts.

A window frame 1 has hung thereto a window blind 2 by means of hinges 3 the subject matter of the present invention. Each hinge comprises two members or leaves 4 and 5, the former leaf 4 is secured to the window frame 1 by screws 6, while similar screws 7 fasten the member or leaf 5 to the blind. At the bottom of the hinge member or leaf 4 is an outwardly projecting horizontal plate 8, through one end of which is an elliptical opening 9, a similar opening 10 is formed in the opposite end. The outer edge of the plate has a curved surface around the openings 9 and 10 in such form as to produce a spur 11 on each end. The length of the plate 8 is-greater than the width of the leaf 4, but the plate joins the leaf with a graceful curve.

The window blind member or leaf 5 has about the same shape as the member 4 but is wider and instead of a bottom plate 8, there will be found projecting forwardly from its side edges, arms 12 and 13 respectively. The under edge of each arm is in the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the plate 8 the said arms reaching almost Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Serial No. 387,992.

as far as the outer edge of the elliptical openings 9 and 10. From this it will be observed that whenever the blind swings in or out, 01' is at rest, the arm 12 rests on and is supported by the plate 8. The ends of the arms are each provided with a hook 14in the same plane as the arm and extending downwardly and rearwardly beneath the inner side of the opening 9 or 10. It will thus be seen that when in open and closed position the hook will engage beneath the plate and prevent the blind being lifted.

As before stated the openings 9 and 10 are elliptical, their greater axes lying in an approximately common vertical plane parallel with the face of the leaf 4. Therefore when a blind is to be removed it is turned at a right angle to the window frame 1, bringing the hooks 14 of the upper and lower hinges in alinement with the longer axis of the openings 9, a position in which the hooks, being shorter than the length of the hole 9, will permit the ready removal of the blind. After a blind has been opened, it is desirable to lock or fasten it in such position. Usually, the weight of the blind is employed for this purpose and in such manner that it is necessary to lift the blind bodily before it will swing. In the hinge of the present invention, when the blind is opened as in Fig. 2, the vertical parts of the hooks 14 on the arms 12 act as pintles for the hinge 3. As the blind approaches its full open position, the hooks 14 of the arms 13 ride against the curved edges of the upper and lower plates 8 until they have sli )ped past the spurs 11, whereupon the hooks fall behind the spurs and are locked in position. The rear edges 15 of the spurs 11 are inclined so that the blinds may be closed by a slight push edgewise of the blind, Which unlocks the hooks from the spurs thus enabling the blind to be closed with great ease.

A hinge of this type can be used in any position where the axis of rotation is vertical or substantially so. hen attached to window blinds opening in a direction opposite that shown in Fig. 1 the position of the leaves will be reversed so that the hook on the arm 13 will rotate in the opening 10 in the opposite end of said plate 8.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is z 1. A hinge comprising two leaves or members, one leaf or member having a projecting plate disposed in a horizontal plane with an approximately elliptical hole near each end, and a second leaf or member having similar parallel outwardly projecting arms one at each end thereof and terminating on their under edges in hooks either of which hooks is adapted to turn in either elliptical opening.

2. A hinge comprising tWo leaves or members, one leaf having a horizontal outwardly projecting plate, having an elliptical hole near each end and a spur projecting from each end, and a second leaf or member, comprising a fastening plate, an outwardly projecting arm from each side of said plate terminating in a rearwardly projecting hook, either of said hooks adapted to turn in either of said openings, I

3. A h nge comprising two leaves or mem bers, one leaf having a horizontal plate with an elongated opening near each end, the other leaf or member having two like parallel projecting arms so disposed that either arm on one leaf is adapted to engage either opening in the other leaf, and means for locking the two leaves in open position on either side by a lateral movement of one leaf relatively to the other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BRITTON E. BYRD.

lVitnesses:

T. C. WORTH, J. J. PRITOHARD. 

